Firearms Legends

Firearms Legends US Military’s 5 Top Guns – The US military is stacked with countless top-tier weapons platforms. But what about the smaller guns that are used every day or were in the past? As you know, 1945 readers love and appreciate our coverage of US military weapons system. But what about the various guns that have served in the US military, both big and small? Clearly, a few really stand out.

If you are a gun collector you probably have one. It might even be a pearl-handled gold or silver-plated model to commemorate all the wars it has been apart of.

It was originally designed after the tough fights against insurgents during the Philippine insurrection from 1899 to 1902. Then it emerged in World War One and Two and thousands upon thousands were produced.

The Army wanted an automatic handgun rather than a revolver with a bullet that could penetrate jungle foliage and had ample stopping power. Fast-forward to the jungle fighting of Vietnam and soldiers and Marines wanted it for the same reason.

US Military’s 5 Top Guns : M4 Carbine

It started as a shorter version of the M16 called the CAR-15 that was used by some special operations units during Vietnam. It later became known as the M4. The modern special ops units took it up to clear rooms in the urban combat of Iraq and in the villages of Afghanistan. The barrel is only 14.5 inches compared to the M16’s 20-inch barrel, plus it is lighter than the M16.

Some regular-Army infantry units started using it in the early 2000s to better conduct airborne and air assault missions or mechanized operations. The M4 uses the same magazines and ammunition (5.56mm) as the M16. The stock is collapsible to make it more compact and to accommodate different body types. The rail system offers an unprecedented number of accessories such as sights and aiming augmentation. The M4 is just a great all-around weapon.